Documenting the Use of Appearances Among the Dj And
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DOCUMENTING THE USE OF APPEARANCES AMONG THE DJ AND NIGHTCLUB PATRONS Christopher Thomas Conner Submitted to the faculty of the University Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in the Department of Sociology, Indiana University March 2010 Accepted by the Faculty of Indiana University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Lynn Pike PhD., Chair Carrie E. Foote PhD. Master’s Thesis Committee Carol Brooks Gardner PhD. ii © (2009) Christopher Thomas Conner ALL RIGHTS RESERVED iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Ted Fleischaker for giving me employment taking photos in nightclub spaces, which spurred my sociological imagination. Thanks to Dr. Lynn Pike for exposing me to visual methods, for her work as my chair, friend, and life coach. I would like to thank Dr. Carrie Foote who invested a significant amount of time in mentoring me and her encouragement to pursue a career in academics. I thank my mother who could not be here to witness her ‘little professor’ achieve a significant milestone. I thank my father and step-mother who every time I returned home were curious to know of my progress, and supported me during some tough times. I owe the entire department of Sociology at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis a great deal of gratitude especially to Ain Haas, Robert Aponte, Tamara Leech, Susanne Steinmetz, Colin Williams, and Carol Brooks-Gardner. Lastly, I want to thank all of the people within the music industry that gave me my insider status, and ultimately the ability to study the environment which I have worked in for some time; as well as the people who allowed me to photograph them. I am especially indebted to the following people in the music industry: Above and Beyond, Paul Van Dyk, Thrill Kill Kult, The Cruxshadows, Vivian Farris, Athan Maroulis, Copper Top, Sarah Myer, Kynt, Seamus, Josh Driver, Jason “Guido” Jackson, Disco Donnie and several others which time and memory will not permit me to thank. iv ABSTRACT Christopher Thomas Conner DOCUMENTING THE USE OF APPEARANCES AMONG THE DJ AND NIGHTCLUB PATRONS This is a photo-documentary study of two themes found within the literature on fabulous appearances: the gay nightclub patron and the club DJ. This study used a large Midwestern gay nightclub as the field setting. Fabulousness involves the way patrons costume themselves in order to communicate status within the setting. This study revealed that participants in the setting utilize three different types of self-presentation. These types embody desirable characteristics and ideas of attractiveness that revolve around power, establishing a normalized “gay” identity, and using surreal based characteristics to achieve their goal of being noticed. The DJs served as informal organizers through their appearances and performances. Analysis of the DJ role found that DJs provide visual cues for other participants in the setting on how to act, dance, dress, and behave. This study is the first in depth examination of the role of the DJ and the communicative processes between the DJ and dancers in gay nightclubs. Lynn Pike PhD., Chair v TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................1 Chapter 2 Literature Review.......................................................................................................3 Chapter 3 Specific Aims and Methods ........................................................................................11 Chapter 4 Findings ......................................................................................................................21 Chapter 5 Discussion ....................................................................................................................31 Chapter 6 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................38 Appendices Appendix A: Shooting Script .....................................................................................42 Appendix B: Photos ...................................................................................................43 Bibliography ..........................................................................................................................51 Curriculum Vitae vi Chapter One Introduction This study is an exploratory photo-documentary looking at key aspects of making and doing identity development in gay nightclubs. The goal was to explore the role of fabulousness, or how individuals costume themselves and take on their roles as night clubbers (Buckland 2002). This study used Buckland’s (2002) Queer World Making model of nightclub behaviors and sought to explore her idea of fabulousness, the role of the DJ, and how the two help patrons organize the setting. Nightclubs can be thought of as extraordinary places where reality is suspended under the illusion created by flashing lights, loud music, imaginative sceneries, and surreal aesthetics. Displaying carefully crafted appearances makes up a large part of nightclub patrons’ roles (Hodkinson 2002; Moore 2004). Patrons in this setting seem to go to great lengths to be both seen and stand out from others. I use the term appearances to describe clothing, props, physique, hairstyle, body movement, relationship to others in the setting, the way one moves, way one acts, etc. Patrons in gay nightclubs craft and display their identities by creating their ideal self-images. This display of identity building includes creating gender identities, building a sense of community, and forming comradery with other club goers (Buckland 2002; Hebdige 1989; Hodkinson 2002; Moore 2004; McRobbie 2002). They use these conventional ideas to create a unique appearance and identity. In a grander sense, if any one part of this process of identity building is removed the reality becomes more 1 unstable. As club goers attempt to define themselves, and their reality, they build a world that crystallizes as they add more elements of self-expression to the setting. At the center of this process is Buckland’s (2002) notion of fabulousness. Fabulousness is the idea that patrons gain status through presenting unique forms of appearance and thus unique representations of their own marginalized identities. In gay nightclubs these performances are often exaggerated to either set themselves apart from conventional societal notions regarding their gender roles, or adopt exaggerated masculine behaviors to make themselves appear hyper-masculine. By manipulating their appearance they are creating two versions of themselves, one version is their everyday marginalized identity the other is their role as a night clubber. Once they enter the club they are transported from their marginalized selves into another reality where they have power, and their appearance helps make this process happen. The DJs are central figures in nightclubs. DJs are important figures because they are the vehicle through which music is selected and played. As Buckland (2002) points out, they help convey meaning through the music they play. They also carry with them the added function of being very powerful cultural icons. A sign of the cultural significance of the DJ lies in a recent release of the video game “DJ Hero”, this game allows players the ability to create a simulated DJ performance of their own. DJ’s often enjoy playing before audiences around the world for large sums of money that reflect their popularity. In gay nightclubs music helps communicate values central to the setting and thus makes them central to the role of defining the identities of gay patrons. 2 Chapter 2 Literature Review Nightclubs have been examined in the previous literature largely from a historical angle detailing the history and evolution of rave subculture and the role of the club DJ. There is however, another way to frame how nightclubs are studied. The nightclub setting can be examined using the framework of a staged performance consisting of manipulated appearances. This performance consists of symbolic forms of communication occurring primarily through unique appearances (dress) and is organized by the interactions between the DJ and patrons (Goffman 1959; Hebdige 1989; Hodkinson 2002). Buckland’s Theory One of the most recent accounts of nightclub interactions comes from Buckland’s (2002) study conducted in the 1990’s in New York City. She used 22 clubs as points of observation, but her study repeatedly mentions only a few of these sites. Buckland (2002) interviewed 17 patrons, and chose subjects who had vastly different experiences, backgrounds, and other unique attributes. In her study, she explored the lives of her patrons and their experiences in gay dance clubs. Her research revealed several key insights into patrons’ activities in dance clubs. Buckland (2002) observed that there are three components that make the nightclub: dancing, appearances (otherwise called fabulousness), and the music. Under her model of Queer World Making, music is played by a DJ who regulates the interactions and behaviors happening on the dance floor. The 3 setting is shaped by patrons who continuously define themselves through dancing. Lastly, under her model, appearances are used as a way to convey status, either you have it or you do not, you either fit in with the others in this environment or you do not. Buckland’s (2002) Queer World Making theory has two points which might be